College

Made one start as a redshirt

Redshirt (college sports)

Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...

 freshman for the 2008 Wolverines

2008 Michigan Wolverines football team

The 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2008 college football season. The team's head football coach was Rich Rodriguez. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan...

 on October 11 against . Following the 2008 season, Michigan had to replace three starting senior co-captain

Captain (sports)

In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...

 defensive linemen: Terrance Taylor

Terrance Taylor (American football)

Terrance Terlie Taylor is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan...

, Tim Jamison

Tim Jamison

Tim Jamison, II is an American football defensive end for the Houston Texans. He played college football at the University of Michigan.-Early years:...

 and Will Johnson.

Van Bergen started every game for the 2009 at defensive tackle. He totaled 40 tackles, 6.5 TFs, five quarterback sack

Quarterback sack

In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...

s, one fumble

Fumble

A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...

 recovery and four pass breakups as a redshirt sophomore in 2009. He also posted a touchdown

Touchdown

A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...

 on a fumble recovery against Wisconsin

2008 Wisconsin Badgers football team

The 2008 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers were coached by Bret Bielema and played their home games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin....

 on November 14. His mid 4th quarter sack against Indiana

2009 Indiana Hoosiers football team

The 2009 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented Indiana University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hoosiers were coached by Bill Lynch, who was in his third season season as head coach for the team. The Hoosiers played their home games in Memorial Stadium in...

 on September 26, 2009 set up a 3rd and 23 yards to go play, a 4th down punt

Punt

Punt may refer to:In boats:*Punt , a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow developed on the River Thames*Norfolk Punt, a type of racing dinghy developed in Norfolk*Cable ferry, known as a punt in Australian EnglishIn people:...

 and the subsequent game-winning drive in the 36–33 victory.

Van Bergen started every game for the 2010 Wolverines at defensive end. He totaled 37 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, five sacks and one pass breakup in 2010. As a fourth-year junior for the 2010 Wolverines, Van Bergen had two solo TFLs on November 13 against Purdue

2010 Purdue Boilermakers football team

The 2010 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana and compete in the Big Ten Conference. It was Danny Hope's second season as head coach...

 and three solo TFLs in the rivalry game against Ohio State

2010 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

The 2010 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented The Ohio State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes were coached by Jim Tressel and played their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. They were members of the Big Ten Conference...

 on November 27. He achieved his first seven tackle (five solo and two assist) outing in the January 1, 2011 Gator Bowl

2011 Gator Bowl

The 2011 Gator Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten and Mississippi State Bulldogs of the SEC, and was played on January 1, 2011 , at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. It was the sixty sixth edition of the bowl game and was...

 against Mississippi State

2010 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team

The 2010 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University during the 2010 college football season. Mississippi State has been a member of the Southeastern Conference since the league's inception in 1932, and has participated in that conference's Western Division...

.

Van Bergen started at both defensive end and defensive tackle in 2011. He was a 2011 preseason watchlists honoree for the Hendricks Award. He was named the Big Ten Conference Co-defensive Player of the Week on November 14, 2011 for his 2.5 quarterback sack performance against the Illinois Fighting Illini

2011 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

The 2011 Illinois Fighting Illini football team is representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the 2011 college football season. The Fighting Illini, who were led by seventh-year head coach Ron Zook, are members of the Big Ten Conference and are playing their home games at...

 on November 12. In addition to the 2 solo and 1 assist sacks, he had an assist on a TFL and achieved his second seven-tackle effort (4 solo and 3 assist). Van Bergen also was recognized by the College Football Performance Awards as the national defensive performer of the week and defensive lineman of the week. The following week, he had two solo TFLs against Nebraska

2011 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

The 2011 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team will represent the University of Nebraska in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team will be coached by Bo Pelini and will play their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska...

. His three fumble recoveries was third in the Big Ten. In the regular season finale against Ohio State

2011 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

The 2011 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represents The Ohio State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes are coached by Luke Fickell on an interim basis following the resignation of Jim Tressel as head coach...

 on Novmeber 26 he tallied seven tackles one more time (5 solo and 2 assist), including a solo TFL and two assist TFLs. Thus, he concluded his Big Ten career with at least 2 TFLs in each of his last three regular season games. He was an honorable mention 2011 All-Big Ten Conference

2011 Big Ten Conference football season

The 2011 Big Ten Conference football season is the 116th and current season for the Big Ten. The conference started its season on Saturday, September 3, as each of the conference’s teams began their respective 2011 season of NCAA Division I FBS competition...

 selection by both the coaches and the media for the 2011 Wolverines.

Personal

Van Bergen is known as a media favorite. At the time of his induction into the Michicagn High School Football Association Coaches Hall of Fame, he thanked several members of his extended family including his grandparents Cliff and Gloria Verschueren and Al and Doris Van Bergen. He also mentioned his brother Tyler, who went on to play football at Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...

. Tyler was three classes behind him. Tyler went on to anchor MHSAA regional champions in the 4 × 100 metres relay (2009) and 4 × 200 metres relay

4 × 200 metres relay

The 4 x 200 metres relay is an athletics track event in which teams comprise four runners who each complete 200 metres or half a lap on a standard 400 meter track. The event is a world record eligible event, but is not a standard event at most track meets, though certain leagues regularly conduct...

 (2010). Their parents are Charles and Toni Van Bergen. His parents are from Hart, Michigan

Hart, Michigan

Hart is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,950. It is the county seat of Oceana County. The city is located within Hart Township, but is politically independent....

. His father Charles, who was raised on a farm, is a retired United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 veteran. Ryan worked in maintenance in high school at Erdman Machine Co., an aerospace tool manufacturer. Charles has eleven older siblings who are from the West Michigan region.

External links

• Van Bergen @ NCAA.org
• Van Bergen @ CBS Sports
  CBS Sports
  CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
  
  
• Van Bergen Michigan Bio
• Van Bergen @ ESPN
  ESPN
  Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....